Always And Forever Yours
by KH freak 813
Summary: One-shot gifted to berry5tz. How does one bear the hardships of life if nothing lets up? Is it possible to let someone else in completely without getting hurt? Who knows how long it would take for a person as broken as Naruto to truly accept Sasuke. SasuNaru. AU. OOC Naruto. Slightly OOC Sasuke. Shounen-ai.


Hello readers! I would like to thank **berry5tz** and **Jazz** for reviewing the finale of Not As Simple As It Sounds, **The Corrupted Nerd** for commenting on it plus favoriting, **AnimeChic5** for evaluating it as well as favoriting in addition to following, **bloodangelkari** for giving feedback on chapter ten not forgetting **RadioHeart** for doing so on chapter six comprising favoriting lastly following, **everHermione**, **Guesta**, **ehkhshadow24**,** XxSasuNaruforeverandeverxX**, **thekingdomofretards** before **ArcaneRaven** for favoriting along with following preceding **Silver Owl Earrings** including **LadyKatt**, **bluefootstroodle**, **My4DWorld**, **babygirl2224**, **Quietly Dreaming of the Future**, **TsubakiUzumaki** prior to** LiraFujoshi** for favoriting it! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Congratulations to **berry5tz** for guessing the trivia correctly in the last chapter of Not As Simple As It Sounds! This one-shot is dedicated to you!

If you like this, feel free to read the other stories on my profile! ^_^

Although your suggestions are great and all **AnimeChic5**, the thing is...by the time you had given your comments, the story was already _OVER_! _FINISHED_! _DONE_! Whatever you want to call it, it is _TERMINATED_—I _DID NOT_ forget to label it as 'Complete'! You can see for yourself!

By the way, the reason the Author's Notes were _SO_ long is because I used them to communicate with my guest reviewers. My chapters weren't lengthy—excluding the finale of course—because that was what I intended. Finally, the reason I used_ SO MANY_ epithets is because it's _MY STYLE_ as strange as it is; therefore,_ I WON'T CHANGE IT_!

Thank you for your feedback anyways.

I can see what you mean there **bloodangelkari**; I guess it's because Naruto's a little _too_ hyper but don't worry, he'll mellow out! (:

Thanks for the praise **RadioHeart**! No problem! ;)

I _TOTALLY_ agree with you; that is a _HUGE_ problem! DX

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_"Who is he?"_

The cacophonous blare of an alarm clock rang out throughout the room, forcing the dreamer out of his sleep. The awoken yawned, stretching his limbs before stepping out of bed. The boy was currently dressed in light blue pajamas accompanied by an ebony night cap, shuffling through his drawer before pulling out an azure uniform completed by a crimson tie and black jeans. He then went into the bathroom, getting ready for the day. Sapphire hues framed by blond bangs above three whisker-like marks on tanned skin greeted him as he stared at his reflexion.

"Naruto! Hurry up or you'll be late for your first day at your new school!" As the addressed went out, he was met with the sight of a silverette man who bore dual colored—sable and scarlet—orbs above an onyx mask which hid his jaw that led from a shirt of the same color and dark pants. The adult stood in front of the stove, clad in an apron as he cooked breakfast.

"Ohayō Kakashi!" The youth greeted as he sat himself down, smiling as a bowl of ramen was set down. "Arigato!"

"Good morning to you too, Naru-chan!" The elder smiled, cheerfully joining him. "Itadakimasu!"

"Itadakimasu!" The pair began eating, the silence between them warm as the meal passed. How the concealed could consume _anything_ with his mouth covered was beyond the teen. Thirty minutes later, the two were in the car, heading to their destination.

'I wonder how Konohagakure Academy will be like?' The student pondered. 'I wonder if it's like—no, I can't go there!'

Before they knew it, the driver pulled up at a grand facility which appeared relatively new and wealthy, making the lad feel out of place. He checked the sign, the name imprinted on it erasing any doubts he had. The guardian beamed as he gazed at his charge. "Have fun!"

The flaxen returned the gesture, grinning. "I will, tou-san!"

* * *

"Here goes..."

The flustered stood outside the designated chamber, having went to the principal's office just earlier to receive his schedule. Taking a deep breath, he gulped loudly before opening the door, entering the room. He paused as he took in the sight before him, shocked as every other kid was in their chair, leaving him the only out of place but what really unsettled him was a piercing gaze delivered by an extraordinarily handsome guy carrying raven locks which framed his elegant visage and was spiked at the back. The arrival couldn't help but gawk; something about him seemed familiar...

A throat cleared beside the awestruck, snapping him out of his trance. A male who had a cicatrix on the bridge of his nose and his black hair tied in a ponytail glanced at the tardy. "You must be the new student; in that case, I'll dismiss you being late but don't expect this leniency in the future. I'm Iruka Umino, your English teacher." He then turned to glimpse the rest. "Introduce yourself to everyone! We're happy to have you for the rest of the year!"

The listener obeyed, facing the class. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki and I transferred from Suna High in Kaze no Kuni. Please take care of me." Not one person—save for a certain somebody we all know—seemed to care, promoting the instructor to clap in an attempt—failed—to diffuse the uncomfortable silence.

The authority frowned. "Be more welcoming! Would _you_ like it if someone greeted you like this?!" Yet the exclamation changed nothing. The elder sighed. "Sorry about that. Take a seat besides..." The speaker scanned the area, searching for a free spot. He paused as he found the only available one located in the very back of the space. "Sasuke Uchiha. Uchiha, please stand up." To the blond's shock, the person who had stared at him before was the one to comply. What was it about this individual? Fortunately, the stunned had managed to make his way over without any problems. "I need to get your coursework now...if you'll excuse me." As the professor stepped out of the door, several of the teen's peers swiveled to scrutinize the fresh prey, calculatingly glaring at him.

"Hey you!" A pompous dude exclaimed, catching the boy's attention. "What are _you_ doing here! You don't belong!"

"Yeah!" A pampered female joined. "You just _reek_ of poverty! How _dare_ you sit next to Sasuke-kun, the elite of the elite!"

"..."

"Say something!" The ill-mannered individual from before exclaimed, grabbing the timid's collar. "What, did you crack your voice box?!"

"Leave him alone!" Everyone present was astonished beyond belief as the lauded reached between the two, freeing the victim and leering the aggressor into submission. "You know nothing about him so what gives you the right to judge him like that?! He's new here so treat him with respect!" Seriously, no one had expected that. At. All.

"I'm back!" The scarred returned at that moment, approaching the newbie and slamming the material onto his desk. "Make sure to catch up to our current curriculum. Feel free to contact me if you have any difficulties."

"Hai." The man went back to the front, stopping before the board. "We are reviewing the proper syntax used in formal writing. Pay attention for the next forty minutes since we will be having a test on this on Friday. You have today, Monday night as well as the rest of the week to review..."

Yet the tawny found it hard to concentrate with the multiple stares periodically directed at him...

* * *

"Get him!"

Poor boy didn't have a break! With each period he went to, it was as if _all_ the rich kids—except one—were ridiculing him and since everyone else had _tons_ of money...he was immediately labeled an outcast. To the ostracized's—and everybody's—surprise, a certain someone interfered each time, respiting the poor child. Unfortunately, nothing could stop what would happen next...

Naruto's eyes widened in utter shock at what beheld him; a pack of brutes was stomping toward the loner, confronting him. He barely suppressed a shiver as they ceased, surrounding him. "Do you all need something?"

"How stupid can you be?" The leader scoffed, looking down on their target as if he was trash. "We're here to evict what doesn't belong." He grinned malevolently. "You." He snapped his fingers, cueing one of the minions to pounce their quarry who dodged the strike. More leapt at him only to miss as their target evaded each lunge. The honcho snarled. "Why don't you fight like a _man_ instead of running away like a _wimp_!"

"Why don't _you_?" The calm voice instilled fear in the padrone, causing him to start shaking as the source strolled to the scene. "An eight-on-one fight isn't fair. If you despise Uzumaki so much, why don't you take him on yourself? Your tactics are _cowardly_."

The discussed gaped at the arrival. "...Uchiha?"

The mentioned grunted, glaring at each and every one of the bullies. "Why don't you take me on? That'll even the score a bit."

The boss made to back away but upon seeing the crowd that had begun to gather, he stood his ground. "Bring it on." He launched himself at the raven only to be brought down by a single uppercut, losing conciousness. Upon seeing their leader being defeated, the rest set their sights on the responsible. However, the sable was able to sidestep each without any effort whatsoever before unleashing a roundhouse kick, knocking them all out.

"Don't try this again." The spectators were stunned at the sight they just beheld. The victor glared at the witnesses. "What are you doing here? Get lost!" The audience did just that, immediately fleeing the scene. Now alone, the intimidating glanced at the other, quirking a brow. "Why didn't you fight back?"

The questioned looked away. "I didn't want to hurt anyone. Besides, you're not supposed to fight in school."

The protector smirked at that. "Aren't you kind?" He then began walking away.

"Wait!" The exclamation stopped him in his tracks. "Why did you help me just now and same for all the times earlier?!"

"It's not fair that you're being treated this way just because you have less money than us." The elite responded. "You need someone who cares for you."

"Cares?!" By then, the onyx had vanished, leaving the boy by himself. "What does he mean by that? As a friend?"

Naruto did not know how wrong he was...

* * *

"Orokana otouto..."

The day had finally ended, allowing the students to go home at last. As Sasuke approached the gates, a limo pulled up. The driver stepped out, revealing himself to be an older version of him save for having twin marks near the bridge of his nose, being taller, and having longer hair tied in a ponytail.

"Nii-san." The addressed gave a nod in acknowledgement as he went in, the operator following shortly as the doors were shut before pulling out and heading to their house.

The insulter shook his head. "I heard you got into a fight against nine people earlier."

The accused huffed. "Do I want to know how you learned of that?"

"No." The brother stated mysteriously, scowling. "Should I tell father of this? Don't forget that you'll inherit half of Uchiha Enterprises once you graduate and will control it alongside me; you must watch yourself in the public eye or else your past actions could be used against you."

"I had a reason, Itachi." The lectured grumbled.

"Oh?" The elder prompted. "And what would that be?"

The younger sighed. "The new kid was about to have the crap beat out of him."

"Language." The older chastised, then paused. "What's his name?"

"Naruto Uzumaki."

"Uzumaki, huh?" The senior mused, lips pressed in a thin line. "Be careful around him."

"Why?" The minor pressed, confused.

"There's more to him than you think..." The cryptic response did nothing to soothe the pit of dread in the younger's stomach.

* * *

"Dork!"

The week had passed in a flash...for most. During that period, the blond's peers—except for guess who—showed him no compassion, relentlessly putting him down for various reasons, including his status of being poor, his quiet mannerisms, his marks, and even his intellect!

The pompous dude snickered as he glanced at the flaxen's test. "How in the world did you get the last question correct?! You must have cheated off of Uchiha!"

"I didn't." The blamed defended. "Even though it's common and even considered acceptable for people to use 'their' when referring to 'everybody' in speech, it is technically incorrect in writing; the correct answer would be to use 'he/she' instead since the antecedent is singular, not plural like 'they' is—"

"Nerd!" The tactless male taunted. "You know what I do with smart-alecks like you?!"

"What are you going to do? While you're at it, do it to me too since I'm_ also _a 'smart-aleck'." The threatener froze at the query, fear filling up as he realized who had spoke.

"U-Uchiha?!"

The feared smirked. "Well? What are you waiting for?"

"That's enough!" Iruka interjected as he walked back into the room. "As you can see, Uchiha and Uzumaki are the only ones to make perfect scores on this assessment. Give a round of applause!" The sounds of clapping rang out throughout the space yet it was obvious that they were only directed at one, all eyes on him as the other was disregarded.

"Uchiha-senpai is _so _cool!"

"And so hot too!"

"I want him to be my boyfriend!"

"No, _I_ do!"

"No, _I _do!"

"We all do!"

"If only I was even half as cool as Sasuke-san..."

"And be remotely as attractive as him..."

"We would be having all the girls!"

"I'm so envious of him!"

"He's so lucky!"

"Don't all guys want to be like him?!"

The praised ignored the various comments from the girls and boys in the room, instead focusing on the person right next to him. He would get to the bottom of this mystery...

"Settle down!" The students silenced immediately, allowing the teacher to speak. "Alright, we'll be starting a project that will be done in groups of two and will be due in three weeks. Your assignment is to learn about your companion and their lives at home then write a report. Go and choose who you'll be working with." Immediately, almost everyone flocked over to the raven.

"Be my partner!"

"No, be _mine_!"

"Be _mine_!"

"I choose you." The class gasped in complete shock as the object of their affections slung an arm around the outcast, stunning them all. "I already chose my partner, now find your own all of you."

A female was pouting. "But Sasuke-kun—"

"It's final." The obstinate glared. "Uzumaki is _my_ partner."

The discussed gulped. "Are you sure you want to work with me?"

"Of course." The inquired quirked a brow. "Unless you want to work with one of them." At the numerous leers the tawny received, he frantically shook his head. "That's fine. I'll work with you."

Their peers were astonished, frozen in place. The obsidian crossed his arms. "I won't change my mind; I am_ Naruto's_ partner, not anyone else's and same for him so back off! He is _mine_!"

The Umino stepped in. "Now, now everyone...you heard Uchiha; just select your partner from the rest." The instructed begrudgingly obeyed, grumbling resentfully at who they called a thief as they complied.

"Whose house do you want to go to first?" The baritone voice snapped the flaxen out of his thoughts.

"...Yours."

The asker shrugged, indifferent. "Just follow me out."

* * *

"Whoa!"

Itachi quirked a brow upon seeing someone new walking beside his brother; the sight of him bringing _anyone_ home was indeed rare. The guest seemed to quiver as their eyes first met but upon introduction, he appeared to calm down as they shook hands. The ride was in silence, no one speaking until the driver pulled up to his home...well mansion. No wonder the visitor was gaping; iron gates guarded a long path towards a magnificent manor surrounded by lush trees and endless fields. What a sight to behold indeed.

Once they made it past the barrier, the car cruised, allowing the newcomer to take in even more of the marvelous sights. To think places like this exist in real life...

"We're here." The declaration broke the muser out of his thoughts. The three disembarked the vehicle before the hosts led their invite to the front door which was opened shortly. Seriously, is this even real? The decor on the interior made the exterior look like utter _crap_; only the most priceless decor from all over the world furnished the halls that literally looked as if they were made of gold as servants and maids greeted the trio with respectful bows, making the blond feel like he didn't belong.

"I'll show you to my room." The outsider could only nod as he was led to the designated place. The sights never ceased to surprise him; the raven's dwelling was the size of his entire kitchen and living room _combined_! A large bed supported by a beautiful rosewood frame resided in a corner as a spacious desk was before a ginormous window and a huge plasma screen TV was attached to a wall with a black leather couch at its front.

"Sure." The sable shrugged; this was nothing new to him. After all, he lived here yet to his classmate...

"Um..." The flaxen fidgeted in place.

The stoic quirked a brow. "Just say it."

The addressed release the breath he held. "Where are your parents?"

The elicited huffed. "Away. They go on so many business trips that they rarely return; I basically just live with my brother. It was years since the last time we saw them."

"Oh..." The inquirer glanced away before looking back up. "What do they do?"

"They are the co-owners of a powerful conglomerate called Uchiha Enterprises." The elaborator explained. "Have you ever heard of it?"

The queried shook his head. "There aren't many corporations in Kaze no Kuni since mining and oil drilling are the main industries in that area."

"Hn." The onyx grunted, acknowledging the fact. "It's one of the top companies in the world and has many branches throughout. Nii-san is the heir to half of it and I'll inherit the other half upon graduation."

"Wow..." The listener gaped as he took out a pencil and paper, begining to jot down some notes. "You've got your whole life planned out for you...how does that feel?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I don't mind working for the family business; what bothers me is how people treat me."

"You mean how they practically worship the ground you walk on?" The tawny offered.

"Exactly." The speaker agreed. "I don't like it at all; all they see is a mere image of me created by my status and pedigree; they don't care for who I truly am. That's why I'm cold most of the time."

"You're not towards me though..." The ebony could hear the hidden question in those words.

He sighed. "You're different. You're not superficial like they are and I admire that as well as your kindness; that is rare these days." He then scowled. "I also hate how you're being bullied for something as little as being poor. I guess it's not easy to stand up for yourself if everyone keeps hounding on you and nobody looks out for you."

"Yeah..." The victim hid his hues under his bangs, memories of the abuse flooding his mind.

"I'll be the one."

"Huh?" The upset was confused by the statement.

"I'll be the one to look out for you." The Uchiha clarified.

"Okay. Thanks." The protector narrowed his eyes at the underlying doubt he sensed...

* * *

"Interesting."

The two were before Naruto's residence...which was a dump in comparison to the mansion. The house was one story, the exterior plain. A dingy hunk of junk was parked on the narrow driveway, adding to the slummy feel of the place.

"Sorry about that." The Uzumaki apologized. "We really couldn't find anything better."

"We?" The obsidian quirked a brow.

"Tou-san and I." They approached the front door, the inhabitant using a key to let them in.

"At least it looks better on the inside." The guest commented.

"Yeah." The blond agreed before heading towards the kitchen. "Follow me." The whiskered opened the fridge, searching through it. "Do you want anything?"

A flash of red caught the visitor's attention. "A tomato."

"Okay." The tanned went to the sink, washing the fruit just as the silverette entered.

"Naru-chan." The adult smiled as he caught sight of his charge before turning to face the other. "Something about you seems familiar..."

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha." The boy answered. "It's nice to meet you."

"Sasuke Uchiha?! You're the famed second son of Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha?!" The guardian pressed, awestruck. "What are you doing here?!"

"We are working on a project for school. We're in the same grade." The male answered, sounding indifferent. "We have to see how each other's lives go and write a report on that."

"I'm Kakashi Hatake by the way. I'll be taking my leave now!" The slate appeared to rush out, a cloud of smoke trailing behind him.

"I'm not _that_ scary." The intimidator grimaced.

"What was_ that _about?" The flaxen sighed before motioning the stoic over. "Let's go to my room."

The domain was...small to say the least. Although there was an adjoining bathroom, the space itself did not contain much: just a bed, a desk, and a dresser.

"This place is _nothing_ compared to yours." The presenter rued. "I'm sorry you have to be here."

"Don't be." The elite spoke. "Material possessions don't define a person."

"That's true..." The lower reluctantly nodded before clearing his throat. "What would you like to ask me?"

The interviewer crossed his arms. "Is he your actual father?"

"W-What are you talking about?!" The cherub literally flinched. "Why are you asking me this?!"

The interrogator continued regardless of the hurt he knew he was causing, wanting to get to the bottom of this. "His last name is Hatake while yours is Uzumaki. Besides, you both don't look anything alike."

"Oh..." The raven felt a twinge of guilt at the expression his partner was making, not so sure anymore.

"You don't have to—"

"It's fine, I'll tell." The melancholic interrupted, taking a deep breath. "My real parents died the day I was born, or so I was told; I have no idea who they were. My first memory was of me bouncing from foster home to foster home since no one apparently wanted me. I was four when that all started. They were abusive from what I can remember, constantly beating me up and verbally assaulting me. This occurred for a full decade, essentially breaking me until finally I met Kakashi and he adopted me. He's been like a parent to me for the past three years even though he has been struggling to support us. He was a writer and a very good one at that and we lived a decent life in Kaze no Kuni but that all ended when some wealthy investor in the mines and oil industry sued us because he simply didn't like what Tou-san wrote and had the power to do so. That jerk took almost everything we had; I guess that's why tou-san was scared of you. The news spread to Suna—the school I transfered from—and everyone there suddenly turned on me as if I were at fault. They bullied me relentlessly but I held on the best I could but things went too far when people who claimed to be my friends cornered me and carved three cuts into my cheeks; these marks are actually scars. Upon finding out, tou-san transferred me here but didn't let me attend Konohagakure until I completely healed. Despite that, I was looking forward to being here since I could have a fresh start but look how _that's_ turning out; it's no different." The teller laughed bitterly. "I'm sorry for troubling you with this. After all, we've only known each other for a few weeks and yet—"

"Don't say that!" The exclamation took the sullen aback. "So what?! Does it _matter_ that you only came into my life a few weeks ago?! I've learned about you over that short span of time and I know this; you're kind, soft-spoken, and smart! You won't retaliate because you know that it's wrong! You have more morals than most! I don't care!"

"Why are you so concerned about me?" The blond whispered, voice heavy with emotion. "You are in a _completely_ different league than I am!"

"You matter to me; that's why!" The listener was beyond shocked at that. "I took a liking to you as soon as we met and throughout those few weeks, you started to grow on me! It hurts me to see you hurt!" At that moment, a flash of pain resonated throughout the flaxen's cranium, the inflicted holding his skull as it throbbed. The raven rushed to his peer's side, wrapping him in a loose hug. "Are you okay?!"

"W-Why are you so familiar to me?" The agonized choked out, still suffering. "I think I had a dream with you in it the day we met."

"Perhaps it's fate." Sasuke shrugged. "Who knows?"

"To think you believe in that..." Naruto sighed. "Please don't put everything I told you in your report; it would make me _very_ uncomfortable."

"Fine." The Uchiha grunted.

"Thanks." The Uzumaki slumped. "I don't know what to do."

"Just trust me." He interjected. "I'll make sure no one touches you ever again. We can be friends if you'd like as well!"

"This is just too good to be true..." The whiskered frowned.

The onyx scowled at that. 'I need to break you out of this façade of yours.'

* * *

"Get away from me, ugly!"

Why did this always_ have_ to happen to him? Ugh. The insulted had just been walking in the halls of the academy to his English class when this rude lady shoved him, pretty much for no reason at all. The girl was not exactly pretty herself...hypocrite.

"Excuse me?" The accused gazed at the offender. "Did I do anything that bothers you?"

"Yeah, _exist_ you hideous beast!" The female screeched. "God, I can't believe I just _touched_ you; you're disgusting. Stay away from my Sasuke-ku—"

"Who's disgusting?"

The tactless gasped at who she saw, stammering. "S-Sasuke-kun?!"

The mentioned quirked a brow. "Would you like to repeat that?"

"I wasn't talking about you!" The confronted defended, backing up a bit. "I was taking about that atrocious blond fa—"

"He's not ugly. And are you saying there's something wrong with being gay?" The sheer magnitude of the glare was more than enough to have the target run off, not once looking back as she fled the scene.

"Thanks, Uchiha." The saved spoke as he glanced at his rescuer once they had reached a secluded area.

The raven grunted. "'Sasuke' is fine, you know. You don't need to be so formal."

"S-Sure." The other blushed. "You can call me 'Naruto' then."

"I already have been." He smirked before suddenly becoming serious. "I hope you're not letting what they're saying get to you."

The broken turned away. "Easier said than done; you know why I react like this, remember?"

The sable sighed. "I know but don't forget one thing; you have someone by your side this time." He smiled. "Me."

The tawny returned the gesture. "Thanks, Sasuke."

"Why was she mocking your preference, if it is?" The appreciated questioned.

The inquired flushed. "I think she was just saying that to offend me—what with people thinking it's okay to be homophobic and it in turn being a common form of harassment—but the truth is, I actually am and am feeling something towards a particular guy." He cast his gaze down, unable to look up. "Do you hate me now?"

The ebony chuckled. "I just defended you, didn't I? Besides, I'm the same."

"You're gay?!" The other exclaimed, shocked. "I had no idea!"

"The truth is, no one knows." He shrugged. "Though I've never shown interest in anyone before, let alone women; no one had caught my eye."

"You could have anyone you want." The tanned inputted.

"I hope so." The cryptic tone slightly confounded the listener.

The whiskered happened to glimpse at a nearby clock. "I've got to go now. Bye, Sasuke."

As he made to walk away, what the stoic said next caused a deep crimson to ignite on his entire figure before he practically ran out in embarrassment.

"Don't underestimate how beautiful you are."

* * *

"Uzumaki and Uchiha, you're up."

The dreaded day had finally arrived. Throughout the past few weeks, the two had been getting to know each other, learning each other's likes and dislikes as well as their hobbies and personalities. They had been alternating between their houses, making themselves at home in each. During the repeated visits, Kakashi had been getting less and less wary at the elite until he could hold a proper conversation with the boy. Things seemed to be going well...except that the ebony was not completely able to break the blond out of his shell; he could sense that the reluctant was holding back. Time to free him at last...

The previous pair left the front of the class, allowing the duo to take their place. "This is the last presentation of the day so be respectful." Iruka commanded, directing his statement at the drooling females and admiring males at the onyx and the universally scorning leers at the tawny. "You both can begin now."

"I'll start." Naruto cleared his throat, holding up the paper he wrote. "Sasuke Uchiha lives with his elder brother Itachi Uchiha. Their parents—Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha—are rarely home due to the constant business trips they go on to manage their family corporation, Uchiha Enterprises. Because of that, they have servants and maids to attend to their every need although both don't need it. They study whenever possible since Itachi is the heir and Sasuke will be—"

"We already know all this!" The pompous dude yawned. "This is boring! I bet you just listened to what everyone said and simply wrote it down!"

"No," the accused spoke, "I actually went to Sasuke's house and saw his interaction with Itachi."

"How _dare_ you call them by their first names, you filth!" A girl shrilled. "Have some respect for them!"

"But then both of them would be 'Uchiha'." The blamed countered.

The same damsel spoke again. "At least use honorifics you uncultured swine!"

"Keep your mouth shut. I allowed him to call me that."

"S-Sasuke-kun." The lass automatically ceased, intimidated by the fierce glare.

"Alright." The teacher huffed. "Since everyone claims to know about Uchiha and time is running short, let's move on to Uchiha's report." He eyed the ridiculed. "Don't worry about your grade; this 'interruption' was in no way your fault so just turn it in now." The instructed obeyed, handing the elder his work. The Umino smiled before directing his attention to the obsidian. "Whenever you're ready."

"Hn." The guy grunted yet commenced regardless. "Naruto Uzumaki lives with his guardian Kakashi Hatake in the outskirts of Hi no Kuni, here. He was previously schooled in Suna High but transferred from Kaze no Kuni about a month ago to Konohagakure Academy. Although he did nothing wrong, Naruto was immediately discriminated by almost everyone here," the orator did nothing to hide the leer he directed at the rest of the class, "for something as superficial as money. Nevertheless, he bore all the torment, not retaliating in any way even when the threat of getting beaten up was presented to him." The glower only intensified. "It is truly _baffling _how he can handle the crap life had thrown at him; having been thrown around from foster home to foster home since he was four, being forced to live with constant abuse, relentless bullying, and an unstable home situation, it's a wonder how he isn't resentful of everyone. He is one of the only _good_ people left in existence and deserves to be treated with respect, not the contempt he's been swamped with." One could _swear_ a malicious aura was surrounding him. "Don't judge others for something they can't control. I hope you are happy with yourselves."

The students were left in a stunned silence even as the bell rang.

* * *

"What was all _that_ about?!"

The school day had _finally _ended yet instead of fleeing the facility like everyone else was, the outcast was actually delving into its grounds as he sought out a certain someone. Upon finding that person, he confronted the figure and after a few uttered words, they went out—everything else dealt with—to a secluded place in the woods. Things did not look too well...

"Why were you like that?!" Naruto demanded, crossing his arms in an uncharacteristic show of rowdiness. "Answer me!"

"Do you remember what I told you this morning?" The stoic asked. "That no one had caught my interest before?"

"Yeah? So?"

He smirked. "Look what a change in tense can do to the meaning of an entire sentence."

"No one had—" The reiterate paused, astonished. "You mean you've taken a liking to someone?!"

"For someone so smart, you sure are being stupid." The raven scoffed. "I wonder if you know who I'm talking about."

"Well, it _has_ to be a guy given what you've told me before," the thinker mused while ignoring the taunt, "yet you haven't even as much as glanced at them except for—" He froze up. "Me."

"That's right." Sasuke smiled. "You're the one."

"How?!" The incredulous shouted, unable to believe what he had just heard. "Why?! Just why?! Why would you want to be with someone who's not even_ close_ to your league—"

"Didn't I already say that I don't care about that kind of stuff?" The inquirer quirked a brow. "You're not out of my league; in fact, you're the only one who's in it. Everyone else is too superficial and pompous but you looked far past my pedigree and status and saw me for who I am. That's something new to me and that pulls me to you. Besides, didn't I say you shouldn't underestimate how beautiful you are? You're both that on the inside and outside."

The Uzumaki flushed a deep crimson. "I-I like you too...but I'm not sure that I'm ready for that; I have a hard time trusting people."

"That's a lie." The declaration caused the listener's hues to bug. "You were open enough to tell me about your past even though you could have just shut me out. You also could have refused to tell me about yourself yet you did anyways."

"What do you want from me?" The blond questioned.

"For you to give me a chance, isn't that obvious?" The sable closed in, holding the other's chin. "Stop me if you don't want this." He pressed his lips to the other's, causing every nerve in the tawny's body to overload as strange sensations raced across his spine. The kiss deepened, forcing his mouth open as a questing appendage entered. The receiver snapped out of it as his tongue joined in, battling for dominance as he fought back. This was something he had _never_ experienced before; these sensations bordered overwhelming as the pleasure of it all rushed through him. Once the demand for oxygen became too great, the two broke apart, a trail of saliva still connecting them.

Naruto panted as he struggled to regain his breath. "That was my first kiss."

"Same here." The initiator responded, smug. "That proves how serious I am. Your lack of rejection says something as well." He wrapped his arms loosely around the tanned, bringing him in. "What do you say?"

"Is this your way of asking me out?" The flaxen queried coyly.

"Maybe it is." The reply was the same.

The conceded grinned. "I give in. I'll try."

* * *

Six months had passed since that fated day. Due to the possessiveness and protectiveness the stoic expressed toward his boyfriend, everyone eventually backed off and even began accepting the outsider once they _actually _got to know him—about time, right? They decided to keep their relationship a secret from the school since the people _finally_ got around to accepting him and the knowledge of him being gay would just ostracize him all over again—courtesy of today's understanding and definitely _not_ discriminate society—yet told their families. Itachi smirked, claiming that he knew that would happen starting when he heard about what his little brother had done for the sake of another boy. Kakashi...got a bit overprotective, promising the onyx nothing but pain and suffering if his precious son got hurt by him. The threatened shrugged, not bothered in the least; that got the guardian's approval. Summer had approached, the institution finally letting its captives go for about two months. The couple found themselves on a park bench during the cool evening, completely content.

"I _finally_ smashed through that façade of yours, huh?"

"Huh?" The vulpine smiled happily, nuzzling the obsidian's neck. "Yes, you proved that your intentions are indeed genuine and true."

"Hn." The Uchiha bent forward, taking a deep breath. "I love you, you know."

"What?!" That _really_ caught the listener off-guard.

The surpriser chuckled. "I said I love you. What, are you doubting me?"

The queried shook his head. "I just didn't expect it."

"Well now you know." The ebony commented. "I just feel that way."

"I trust you." The Uzumaki beamed. "In fact, I feel the same way; I love you too."

The elder intertwined their fingers. "Are we going to announce that we're dating when school starts again?"

The asked beamed. "Imagine their looks of shock."

"And if they disapprove, I'll just scare some sense into them." The stoic smirked.

The younger returned the gesture. "Thanks." They then leaned in, closing the distance between each other.

"Aishiteru." Sasuke ghosted out, whispering each word.

Naruto did the same, equally as soft. "Aishiteru mata."

The sun set in the horizon as the couple shared an endearing kiss, one phrase going through both of their minds.

"Always and forever yours."

* * *

Translation: Ohayō=Good morning, Arigato=Thank you, Konohagakure=Hidden Leaf, tou-san=father, Suna=Sand, Kaze no Kuni=Land of Wind, Orokana=Foolish, otouto=little brother, Nii-san=Older brother, Hi no Kuni=Land of Fire, Aishiteru=I love you, mata=also

How was it, **berry5tz**? If there's anything you're dissatisfied with, just let me know. If it is _manageable_ and not _too_ drastic, then I'll change it to how you see fit but don't be too hard on me if I did something wrong! (**:**

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


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